BB offers incentives to boost Bangla QR transactions

Bangladesh Bank will provide incentives to banks and other payment service providers to encourage transactions through Bangla QR, particularly among small and marginal merchants.

Under a circular issued by the central bank today, participating payment system institutions will receive monthly incentives for Bangla QR-based transactions through the National Payment Switch Bangladesh (NPSB) of up to Tk 2,000 conducted at merchant points of small and marginal product sellers and service providers onboarded through individual retail accounts.

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The move is aimed at making merchant payments easier and bringing small and marginal sellers and service providers under digital payment coverage, while developing a safer, more affordable and interoperable digital payment ecosystem.

Under the incentive scheme, acquiring institutions will receive 0.10 percent of the transaction value, while issuing institutions will receive 0.20 percent, subject to certain conditions.

The instructions will come into effect on October 1, 2026.

Bangladesh Bank said no single transaction can be split into multiple smaller transactions, or structured in any other way, to claim the incentive.

No incentive will be payable for failed, reversed, refunded, charged-back, disputed or subsequently cancelled transactions.

The central bank will also have the authority to inspect and audit transaction records, merchant-related information, settlement details and supporting documents of participating institutions at any time.

The institutions will be required to provide relevant information, data and documents when requested by Bangladesh Bank.

If incentives are paid against excessive, artificial or erroneous transactions, the central bank may recover the money or adjust it against future incentive payments.

Acquiring institutions will also have to monitor and review merchants showing unusually high numbers or unusual patterns of transactions.

They will be required to take necessary measures to prevent artificial splitting of transactions, cash-outs or other forms of misuse.

If such misuse is established, the concerned institution will be held responsible. Bangladesh Bank may recover or adjust the incentive payments and take further action under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2024.

The central bank introduced Bangla QR as an interoperable payment system to facilitate merchant payments and expand digital payment services among small and marginal businesses.